Bad news bears …

THIS …

Eli Madden.

P.S.  Because the website that the link above links to no longer exists … here is the drift of it:  WPSA suspending ATV operations for the summer, and we’ll see how it goes for the winter.  5/7/08

Open Letter to ATV

Hello everyone;

I’ve had the fortune to work in the powersports racing industry for just under 2 years, and loved every minute of it.  I will repeat that again: I have loved every minute of my job for the last 2 years.  I don’t know too many people that can actually say that about their JOB, but I can. Last summer was my first season working on the ATV side of things.  Let me be the first to tell you all: It was an amazing experience, full of amazing people.  A great sport to be involved with. 

I have been reading the ATV Scene forum since last summer, when I first came across the site.  I quickly became an avid reader.  Not because I wanted to come for entertainment (although there were some very comical pieces), but to read what you guys (the riders/parents/mechanics/etc.) were saying about the WPSA.  Good or bad, I read it.  I also went to go and take a look at the GNC board to see what the crew over there was saying.  I liked to read the compliments and complaints of the WPSA and GNC. 

I liked to read what was working for everyone, what we could work on to improve our side of the industry and take that into account for the following race/season.  Trust me, it helped behind the scenes more than anyone could imagine.  I, along with many others, worked our asses off to put a good product that YOU the riders, YOU the parents, YOU the mechanics would all enjoy and be PROUD to be a part of.  I was proud to be working with the WPSA.  I am still proud that I had the experiences that I gained from everyone involved with the industry (Snocross and ATV). 

I hope that everyone that goes to ATV Scene to rant and rave about this and that and every little nit-picking thing would not take for granted the opportunities you still have.  I don’t know where you will go racing this summer, but be happy that you are able to go and do what you love to do.  Be happy that you still have the money, and yes, a job to support yourselves. 

Unfortunately, I am out of a job.  And it wasn’t like I was planning on not having a job.  What sucks even more about the whole thing: I had no control over the fact that I am out of a job.  None.  Zip.  Natta. 

You know that feeling when something hits you, and you’re like, “WOAH!” and you finally realize what the hell just happened to you?  It hit me the first morning I rolled out of bed and didn’t have to get ready to go into the office and get our stuff together for the upcoming season.  Instead I found myself going through my resume, going through my contacts, going through every company that came to my mind to find a job.

Know what else sucks?  When you love the first job you have right out of college and are forced to try and find another one.  It’s been two weeks and I’m still looking  …

I would also like to say ‘Thank you’ ALL for the support last summer, and the months leading upto this upcoming summer. We did our best, and I am VERY SORRY it didn’t pan out this season. 

Have fun and good luck to everyone!

Eli Madden. 

 

A new job!

Well, it has been over just over a week ago that I found out that I was going to be unemployed for the summer.  And quickly my fortunes turned around.  I started my new job this past Monday!  I mean, it isn’t the best thing in the world, but on the bright side it is keeping me busy and keeps me from spending any money during the day.  On the other hand though … I’m not making any money either.  What kind of job is that you ask?

New Job:  JOB HUNTER/SEARCHER

Pretty sweet title huh?  It sounds cool, well minus the job part.  But being a hunter/searcher for something could be kind of cool.  Right?  Enough about my new job.  Right now I’m reading a book by Keith Ferrazzi called, “Never Eat Alone” which is a really helpful book. 

I found the following to be a pretty interesting tidbit:

“… 56 percent of those surveyed found their current job through a personal connection.  Only 19 percent used what we consider traditional job-searching routes, like newspaper job listings and executive recruiters.  Roughly 10 percent applied directly to an employer and obtained the job.   [Skip a little bit]  My point?  Personal contacts are the key to opening doors – not such a revolutionary idea.”

I guess I need to sit down and reorganize my process.  I will still apply to jobs blindly, but I don’t necessarily like that idea so much.  Hundreds of people are applying for the same job that I am and the online resumes are probably going straight to the trash folder.  What better way to get to a company than to already know somebody in the company/industry?  Or better yet, lead you in the right direction.

Well, back to my new job.

Eli Madden.

A quote to motivate …

“It still holds true that man is most uniquely human when he turns obstacles into opportunities.”
-Eric Hoffer

 

Pictures

So I’ve found more ways to show people how I do my job/what the heck my job is about (well, slightly).  I went and created a Flickr account today to showcase some cool pictures that either:

A) I have photographed

or

B) someone else has photographed. 

But A & B will both show some cool pictures of ATVs and snowmobiles as well as the signage that the gang and I did over the last couple of race seasons.

So here it is … GO CHECK IT OUT!

Enjoy!

Eli Madden.

I’ve detoured

Alright, I will be the first to admit it.  Lately I haven’t been talking about anything of relevant importance.  Then again, I don’t think any of my stuff is of much importance, just useless random babbling.  And since I haven’t been anywhere for work lately, there hasn’t been much to talk about. Hence the random babbling about two heads, basketball, photographs, etc.    

So, I’m taking a new direction on this!  I will still talk about adventures from the road/events but now I want to add photos from work throughout the week, or progress in the tracks, signage, and to throw in my thoughts about/happenings in the PowerSports industry (well as much as I can anyways).

Anyways, it’s nice out right now and I think I am going to go outside … 

Eli Madden.   

uuummm??

Thanks goes out to JaNaye for making me look at something very unusual today.  And now its your turn …

Here is the site:  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24012024/wid/11915773?GT1=31037 

I admit, I didn’t actually read the story … but the pictures got me to thinking a few things:

Some quick Advantages:

• Litereally 2 noses, 2 lips, and yes … 4 eyes: No the 4 eyes do not include glasses.
• Multi-taskful: Just imagine if this baby will learn to eat AND talk at the same time.  Or, able to talk to two people at one time.
• Able to smell things twice as much as me:  I mean, I can’t smell anything in the first place.  And I can’t resist the smell of good food. 

Some quick Disadvantages:

• Able to eat … ALL DAY with only one stomach
• Everybody thinks this baby is gods gift/a goddess among people
• 2 ears
• One brain

Some quick Questions:

• So, is there really only one throat? one brain?
• When the baby grows up and learns to talk, do both mouths move at the same time?  Or is it just one mouth that moves when the baby talks?
• What about the eyes?  When do they move? How do they move?  What object does the baby concentrate on?
• Is one nose going to be clogged during the cold season? Or both?
• How advantagous can this really be? 
• If the baby develops terrets syndrome, will one of the faces say one thing and the other face say what this person is really thinking?  I mean just imagine … one face is honest and the other one tells the white lies?
• In the last instance … so much for nonverbal communication then.  TALK ABOUT MIXED SIGNALS!

I suppose, these are just some quick observations.  It made for an interesting topic during lunch break with all of our thoughts going in every which direction. Anyways … 

Its tax time … eh, sooner or later anyways.

Eli Madden. 

Over the snow

I am done with snow.  Just want it to quit snowing and then get the white fluffy stuff OUT OF HERE!  Damn it, after working nearly every week/weekend during the winter I just want to be done with it.  Fortunately I have ONE more weekend of dealing with snow.  Unless of course, this tropical paradise known as Minnesota decides to shower upon us another doseage of snow.  And of course, as I am writing this I am listening to the radio and they go onto say that there is some snow in the forecast for later tonight. 

 AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

 Anyways, on a side note … the other night I went out and decided to take a few picture of the snow around my neck of the woods in Minneapolis.  Of course, none really turned out great but here is a picture that I thought was a decent picture from my walkabout in Uptown.

 

P.S. I can’t figure out why my post is all center aligned.  Really I just wanted the picture.  Oh well … 

 Eli Madden.

March Madness

That time of year again … March Madness.  Everybody (including myself) has been wracking their brains, pulling hairs, and trying to be ‘that guy’ who picked the biggest upsets during the tourny. 

So here is a page, that I thought would help: ESPN Page 2  I especially liked the point of the CBI; when Bob Knight actually smiled …

But in all seriousness, my final four is:

Tenn.

Texas

Kansas

Xavier

And Texas vs. Tenn. for the title with Texas taking the show home until next year.

I should probably go to work and not pay ANY attention to the games going on today.  2 days of nothing but college basketball … LOVE IT!

 Eli Madden.

$80 idea

Sunday night was our WPSA national banquet night. For some of the crew, sponsors, riders, fans, etc. it is time to get CRAZY! And so it was …

I can’t recall to much from the other night, but I do know it was fun. And coming out of the hotel bar to Murphy telling me not to go to bed. The reason? We had McDonalds coming. So of course in my inebriated (sp?) state, I wait around for the McDonalds to come.

When one of the Geneva workers came walking in with a box … yes, a BOX full of McDic food, I have never been so excited in my life to actually WANT to eat McDonalds. So there I am along with 10 – 12 other people hounding the bags for the best food in the world (at the time).

Cheers to you Murphy with the grandest idea one could have had coming out of the bars. $80 dollars worth of McDonalds has never sounded like the best idea in my lifetime, but at 2:30ish on Sunday night/Monday morning it was better than cars, playstation, tv, anything … basically the smartest decision that anyone in that bar could have had.

Eli Madden.